Folding crate.



P. C. EDSON. FOLDING CRATE. APrLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 21, 1909.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909,

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F. C. EDSN.

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1909.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 21, 1909'.

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lrxx litt! ,illilk FRANK C. EDSN, 0F LE ROY, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed January 21, 1909. Serial No. 473,593.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. EDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Le Roy, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements l in' Folding Crates; and I do declare the following to be a full,- clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates.

rlhe object of the invention is to provide a crate of this character having` combined cleat and hinge members whereby the slats forming the sides and bottom of the crate are secured together in spaced relation and whereby the sides are hingedly connected together to permit the same to be folded.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as 'will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a crate constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the combined cleats and hinge members; Fig. 5 is a similar View of one of the loop shaped connecting members for hingedly connecting the sidesgof the crate; Fig. 6 is a similar View of one of the hinge bars for connecting the bottom of the crate with the side members; Fig. 7 is a plan View of the crate in folded position; Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of two sidesof the crate with the cleats in section showing one form of hinge member; Fig. 9 is a similar view with the cleats partly in vsection showing another form of hinge member; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the hinge bars shown in Fig. 9; Fig. l1 is a view of one corner showing another form of hinge bar; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the cleat illustrated in Fig. t showing the manner of arranging the extensions thereof; Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view through one of the slats showing the arrangement of the stop lugs for supporting the bottom of the crate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a crate which is here shown as having its sides and bottom formed of a series of slats, the ends of which are secured together and held in spaced relation by means of sheet metal cleats 2. The cleats 2 are constructed by bending the metal to form longitudinally disposed channels or grooves 3 into which the ends of the slats are inserted and in which the slats are held in yproper position by rivets, nails or other similar fastening devices 4L. On each end of the cleats 2 is formed an extension 5 which is bent over or around the edge of the outer cleats of the sides or bottom of the crate thereby more firmly fastening said outer cleats in place. In addition to the extensions 5, I may also provide strengthening pieces 6 which are bent around the cleats adjacent to their outer ends and are secured to vin the form of link shaped bars, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, or in the form of loop or U-shaped members 8, as shown in Fig. 10, one of which is adapted to be in- :serted into each end of the adjacent cleats at the corners of the crate.

wWhen the U- shaped pins are employed they are held in operative position in the ends of the cleats by means of fasteningplates 9 which are driven between the extensions 5 on the ends of the cleats and the adjacent edges of the outer slats and project over the ends of the cleats and the pintles, as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. When the link shaped connecting bars 7 are employed, the side bars of the same are engaged with the bent or folded portions of the cleats of the adjacent ends of the side members of the crate thus hingedly connecting the same together.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, is shown the form of connecting bar or pintle l0 em ployed for hingedly connecting the bottom section of the crate to one of the side members. The connecting bar or pintle 10 consists of a straight bar or section 12 which is arranged through the cleat on one edge of the bottom. The opposite ends of the bar By means of theA are bent First laterally and then upwardly at right angles to form connecting members 13 which are engaged with the looped or folded portions of the cleats on the ends of the side to which the bottom is hinged. By thus forming the connecting bar or pintle l0, the bottom section may be readily swung upwardly into engagement with the side to which it is hinged and when in this position will permit the adjacent sides of the crate to be folded together, as shown in Fig. 7. The connecting bars or links by which the sides of the crate are hingedly connected together are of sufficient width to provide space between the folded sides of the crate to allow the bottom section to be folded in between said sections as shown.

ln Fig. l1 of the drawings, is shown a portion of a crate of the usual construction in which wooden cleats are employed for holding the slats in position. In this form of crate, the sides and bottom may be hingedly connected together with my improved form of pintle or connecting links or pins by providing metal clips 14 which are secured to the adjacent ends of the slatted sides and bottom of the crate preferably adjacent to the outer edges of the same. The clips lt when thus secured to the sides of the crate provide loops with which the pintles or link bars are engaged, said bars when employed in connection with this form of crate being considerably shorter in length than the form of bar shown in the first tigures of the drawings.

Vhen the crates are in an open position, the opposite edges of the bottom section are supported in position by inwardly projecting stop lugs 15 which are secured to the bottom slats of the opposite sides of the crate in the manner shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings, thereby securely holding the bottom and supporting the contents of the crate. The bottom when in open position, serves to brace and hold the sides of the crate open and in operative position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accon'lpanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood wit-hout requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

A crate comprising slatted side and bottom sections, combined cleats and hinge members adapted to be secured to the ends of said slatted sections to hold the slats in spaced position, said cleats consisting of plates bent upon themselves to form grooves or channels adapted to receive the ends of the slats, means to secure said ends in said channels, extensions formed on the opposite ends of the plates and adapted to be bent over and around the outer edges of the outer slats of the sections,reinforcing strips adapted to be secured around said cleats adjacent to their outer ends, link shaped connecting bars adapted to be engaged with the bent portions of the plates whereby the sections are hingedly connected together, and a botv tom connecting pintle comprising a bar adapted to be engaged with the bent portion of the bottom cleat, and right angularly projecting olf-set ends formed on said bar to engage the cleats at the opposite ends of the side to which the bottom is hingedly connected.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK C. EDSON.

lVitnesses HUGH lvIUaRAY, E. J. OBRncN. 

